100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 208: Puzzle Skin XI
7 Eastbourne Rd.
It was a few days later when Levi found himself sitting in his dimly lit living room, rereading the files on the victims. One of the details that had been bothering him was on the second victim, the body was burnt, however, there was a small part of the chest and right shin that the skin remained intact.
On the chest, a partial image of a flower, and on the shin was a geometric pattern--something he couldn’t seem to recognize.
The pattern could mean several things, but what he found odd was that the tattoos weren’t done with a tattoo gun but seemingly with a single needle, something he could easily contemplate as to the traditional way. A few ideas came into his mind, but the only way to be certain was to ask an expert’s opinion but that could wait in the morning.
Waiting for any news from Anna had been honestly pissing him off, and he couldn’t help but remember why he was so annoyed by her mere presence. She was five years his senior, something she had always reminded him of when they were younger, bossing him around, telling him what he should and shouldn’t do. And then, she just left home. Disappeared one day without even telling him anything.
She was twelve when she abandoned him, no, abandoned them. His mind drifted again to the past, Jason Murdoch’s existence plays as the constant reminder of the past that still haunts him to that very day.
....
1986, Doonbeg
It was just another day for seven-year-old Levi, after attending school, he rode back his bike on his way home. He passed through the open fields and he entered the wooded forest, tall oak trees, ash, Scots pine, birch, even rowan and willows. All in different shades, from brown, deep brown, red and dark green. The air was turning colder, considering it was mid-autumn and any months now it could start to snow.
The cold breeze fanned his small pale face, his uniform covered under a thick black coat. His legs and chest burning as he pedalled quickly, his small hands gripped the handles tightly. He had chores to do home after all. Something he must do, or else. So he quickened his pace, hopping off his bike in a familiar part of the woods before his bike even came to a stop. And he marched towards the familiar fallen ash tree and he bent down and extended his arms to reach towards the concealed box.
His eyes widened in surprise, he was gone. The rabbit. That’s a good thing, wasn’t it? He was strong enough to leave and go on its way, he thought, but he couldn’t help but be saddened by it. Another being had left him without even saying a word, although he couldn’t really blame the small guy, he was just a rabbit after all.
Levi sighed, putting the box back to its original spot and taking a step back. Now he could take his time heading back home, he no longer needed to feed the guy after all and so he did. The small blond made it easy to the front door, taking off his slightly muddy shoes and entering the house. "I’m home," he said, as he dragged his bag. Seconds later he heard the familiar soft tapping of small feet coming down the stairs and his sister emerged in his line of sight a wide grin spread on her unassuming face. Her bouncy blonde hair was in a messy ponytail. Its tips curling as if adding an exclamation point to her cuteness.
Her small stature smacked against his own in her excited frenzy, embracing him sloppily. "Welcome home Wevi!" she chirped, glad he was finally back and to have someone to play with. Her father had always left her be, something she did not understand, but it had always been that way as long as she could remember. She wasn’t allowed downstairs if she was alone, she was supposed to stay in her room and not make a noise. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Most of all she was expected to behave.
"I have chores, Darcie," the blond boy said, looking down at her. Her big bright blue eyes looked at him sadly, her lower lip protruding into a childish pout. "Stay in your room I’ll get you when I’m done," he told her and she released her hold of him begrudgingly. This was after all their little routine, something she had been used to. Although she had many times asked him before to play with her first and not do chores, the blond boy had easily declined and left her anyway.
Wearing his trusted pair of wellies he made his way towards the stable, with a bucket in his hand only to pause by the entrance. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped as he looked at the sight before him. By the entrance, was ’his’ bunny, the very same bunny he thought was out there in the woods, free. It was hanged by one of the wooden beams, impaled through its small body was a hunting knife. Its grey-brown fur was stained with red, but what shocked him the most was that its eyes had been scooped out.
The shock hit him harder than he initially anticipated, and he dropped the bucket in his hand. His mind knew exactly who was responsible and why, however, he couldn’t grasp as to the reason he had to display it in such a way when he could’ve easily fed it to the dogs as he always claimed, ’either be the hunter or prey’.
Was there a need to be so cruel? Isn’t it enough that it was dead? Why waste so much time, carefully removing its eyes? So much effort just to give him a message?
Behind him, he heard footsteps and he turned knowing full well who it was based on the weight of its steps. And he looked up, only to see his father, Dr Lucas Greene and the disappointed look on his chiselled face.
"I told you, Levi, you never listen. we mustn’t waste time on weak things that serve no purpose," he said softly.
